medical rant

I'm not the most public person when it comes to my personal life. We all have problems and I don't feel comfortable whining about mine, but I'm pissed off and a rant is in order. Earlier this year I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and told to get my affairs in order. After the shock wore off I headed for a second opinion and another round of tests, with the same results, so I gathered family and broke the news. A friend advised me to seek a third opinion and with nothing to lose I did. More scans and a few weeks later a surgeon removed a benign tumor lodged next to my pancreas. The first two specialists misinterpreted the scan results. Okay, shit happens, I'm alive but my wife and I are nervous wrecks after months of dealing with it.

My wife has a heart valve problem from birth which causes a slight murmur. During her work physical last month the murmur disturbed our new healthcare nurse so a CT scan was ordered to evaluate any damage from the years of malfunctioning. Before we received the heart results she got a call advising her the scan revealed she had lung cancer and needed a PET scan to determine the extent of damage. Now we were worried about both heart and cancer. As you can imagine, panic struck us. The PET scan was taken but results would be two weeks in coming. A lot of pacing went on and a bit lot of drinking while we waited.

The CT scan revealed her heart is fine, the PET scan revealed she DOESN'T have lung cancer but a slightly dark spot in her lower back requires an MRI (another scan yet). Again, scan interpretation seems to be a loose area of expertise and it seems it's not an isolated problem. I had four scans misread and my wife one so far. I understand there are variables involved but we're not dealing with a new technique here and I've lost most of what respect I had for medical technology. Rant over.

Hey, I'm sure this is no comfort but, I've never trusted doctors, there like mechanics, there's a few good ones and a whole lot of bad ones. Telling you have cancer before a extensive diagnostic has been preform just shows the lack of brains and arrogance a lot have. To top it off they want 1000's of dollars to fix the wrong thing or give half ass diagnosis. And they always have some fix that may or may not work that they'll charge you more 1000's for with no guarantee. Sounds like just another way of selling you snake oil to me. No thanks, the less I know what is supposedly wrong with me the happier I'll be.

Mark, Wow rough times man, geez. First off I am very happy to hear that you and your wife are actually okay. I can't imagine going through all that and coming out the other side anything but pissed off, confused and relieved all at the same time.

Now something's make more sense. I still owe you an arse kicking, and as soon as I can find a box to fit me and my walker in I'm mailing myself up there to do it

Mark, brother, I'm glad they were wrong on both counts. You're better than most on here, and don't even know it..which makes it count even more. Love ya man. It sucks but smile bro, you're gonna live a little longer than you thought unless you get hit by a satellite falling out of the sky tonight. In which case you probably would die quicker than you thought.. Anyway, most doctors suck. It's the nature of the game now.

Thank heaven for the second opinion, bro! Sorry about all the worry that you had to go through for a false alarm, but it's way better than the alternative. You had me worried a few weeks back. I'll continue to send good vibes to you both up there!

_________________Many of the greatest pleasures in life are illegal, immoral, or smelly.

I heard years ago, that an average of 200,000 people each year die from medical mistakes, which I figure probably includes misdiagnosis. If not, the numbers are even higher.

I decided years ago, that doctors are like weathermen. Even when they are wrong, they still get paid. If a mechanic is wrong, you take your car back, and get it fixed properly at no additional charge.

When you confront them, and ask them why you owe a bill, for a method of treatment that had absolutely no resolution, they respond, "You used the facilities!"

However, all that was back in the good old days. Now I have a $2000 yearly deductible, and unless I have a terminal illness, or am being heliported due to a serious accident, just about 100% comes out of pocket now.

Like someone said when Obamacare was introduced, "If you think healthcare is expensive now, just wait until it is free!"

That sucks man. I'm not a big fan of doctors myself. I hope you don't have to pay for all that. I hate to say it, but usually you have to sue the first doctors to get them to pay for the other one who got it right. Most of the time they'll cave if you sign off on emotional stress. (You and your family did experience a lot of it bc of them)

I think the problem is now everybody has access to docs whenever they want. Which means the need for techs to read these scans and such is through the roof. Whether they are competent or not unfortunately.

Yep, second and third opinions are essential in today's med world. I'm a bit surprised that any doc would just tell you to get your shit together and prepare to die without recommending at least a second opinion. I can certainly imagine much whiskey being consumed while awaiting the results!! Been there, done that!! Got diagnosed with Mr. C in my prostate. The doc/s were going to rip me apart and tear out all my plumbing. Not so fast!! Went to another specialist (highly recommended); did another biopsy. Different results!! No ripping, no tearing. Cooked that SOB over 10 weeks; what fun Last October, my oncologist said "I'm done with you, ain't nothin' left for me to monitor!" I get my last six-month checkup this October and then I'm on once a year!!! Patients today must be proactive, questioning, and a bit leery of all the jargon they get hit with. Unfortunately, ol' Doc Welby ain't around anymore!! Glad to know both you and your spouse are well and OK FTRPLT

Oh.. And to make you feel better Mark.. I'm on the fourth Surgeon telling me the exact same thing and the Work-comp HMO still won't pull the trigger on the deal... Sometimes second and third and even fourth opinions Don't Help. Lol.

Location : Deep in the brush and trees of the PNW where the hRegistration date : 2014-11-24

Subject: Re: medical rant Mon Aug 10, 2015 4:08 am

What an F'd up roller coaster to be thrown on to. Sorry to hear you and yours have had to go through all that. Im not normally a litigious sort, but in your case seems that maybe it might be in order. If nothing else might cause certain Doctors to be a little more cautious with the dire diagnosis. Heck, enough law suits and some of em might even go completely crazy and start telling their patients to go get that second or third opinion, like ftrplt suggested, before they go tombstone shopping.

I'm really sorry to hear about this whole mess, Mark. All I can say is hang in there and keep on getting those second (third, fourth) opinions.

I went through a similar situation with my wife and a kidney stone that was causing her fits. After two trips to the emergency room, they took an x-ray and saw what looked like a kidney stone on the x-ray.

But they refused to commit to that diagnosis without seeing it in an ultrasound. So we went for the ultrasound and the technician finds nothing on the ultrasound and gives my wife the "all-clear".

Two or three more trips to the emergency room and they take another x-ray. And there on the x-ray is the original kidney stone we saw on the very first x-ray: exact same place, same size, same shape, everything.

So apparently calcium-based kidney stones show up on x-rays but not on ultrasounds.

If only the doctors knew that fact to begin with instead of telling us that the ultrasound was the definitive test for kidney stones.

Long story short, my wife passed the kidney stone -- actually caught it in one of those tiny specimen glasses -- and now she's doing great

But that was after nearly two years of chasing a good diagnosis, more than a dozen trips to the emergency room, and immeasurable pain and hardship for my wife and our family.

Thank God we are done with that mess, and I hope that you make it through your mess, as well, Mark.

Thanks guys for putting up with the rant and wishing us well. I hope all of you fare better when dealing with the medical establishment. I see some of you have been put through the mill too, so I don't feel I'm making frivolous claims.

I'll shut up now and thank "whoever's in charge upstairs" we're still kicking. There must be some reason for all this stress.

Age : 69Location : East of the Rocky MountainsRegistration date : 2012-03-18

Subject: Re: medical rant Mon Aug 10, 2015 6:47 pm

Just MY opinion. Doctors are a necessary evil. They do a lot of good like the bacteria in a septic tank.

Mark: Sorry for all the stress your family had to endure. Having experienced a similar experience in my family I will say that there was some good that came from it all. It made us realize how much we cared for each other and now live each day like it could be our last together. Maybe you will come to the same realization if you haven't already.

Oh man! What a rough go of it! My parents have been through a few ordeals similar to this (my grandparents too!). But that is a whole lot of stress with those first readings. I am glad you are both well and that the doctors were wrong.

I hope you and your wife continue to be well and keep getting those second and third opinions!

I was in a pretty serious car wreck last month (no fault of my own). The ambulance ride and E.R. stay totaled around $14,000.00 for some drugs, x-rays, and cat scans. I was less than impressed with the care I received and let them know it (with some help from the morphine). I had an appt. on Monday and was told I need an MRI of my neck. I have now been waiting all week for pre-authorization from the Insurance. It shouldn't matter the at fault parties insurance company will have to reimburse my insurance in the settlement. If anyone is ever involved in a wreck that isn't your fault, be prepared to be a victim in more than one way.